We have reached yet another milestone as a community, one that was critical to our development. A desi of Indian origin has seized the coveted Miss Great Britain title!
With so few beauty pageant titles left unclaimed by the rising tide of brown in swimwear and heels, it was very important that we capture each of the remaining tiaras:
British-born Preeti Desai has become the first person of Indian origin to win the Miss Great Britain title replacing original winner Danielle Lloyd after she was stripped off the award for reportedly dating Judge Teddy Sheringham and agreeing to pose for Playboy magazine. [Link]
As with many winners, she has a heart-warming story behind her victory, one of filial piety:
Preeti gave all credit to her mum, who is recovering, from a serious illness. “When she was crowned Miss Great Britain she rang to tell me and said, ‘The crown is for you.’ I burst into tears. I felt as if I won that crown. I felt as if I am Miss Great Britain. She only wants to see me happy – both my girls do. They want to see me smiling thanks to them I was able to overcome that dreadful illness,” Hema said. [Link]
Like all good desi children, Preeti is multi-talented and ambitious. She worked for years in hair and beauty, before making a career switch to the family fireworks business and she may now be trying to get into property investment. In what I think are her own words:
She then started, and is currently working for the family business G2 Fireworks full time and was made Jr partner, which she built up after years of working for G2 Fireworks from being a child… Recently she decided to move to London and work as a model until she raised enough money to eventually get into the property business. [Link]
If you’re a fan, you can read her myspace page and personal website.
Well she lost one before. I say you go run and find it and then “search” for the other one. Hehehehe
Yes, you and every animal, plant, and mineral on the planet save for The Gays who run the fashion industry. Problem is most “people with a little meat” and usually overweight or out-of-shape.
I said most, Penelope.
Sahej – the tone is fairly respectful and self-aware. I, for one, stated that my comment was probably related to jealousy. Do I get honesty points? If you are a public figure, then public discussion of your figure may, indeed, figure. She is a beautiful girl. What you are noting is an aesthetic preference. People are allowed such things, even in polite society…
Gisele’s not skinny?!
MD, I did note your tone and thought it kind of you to comment in such a way (to the extent my opinion matters to you). I just feel there is a thin line between what’s going on in the thread and the more nasty comments that cross that line into making people feel bad for what is not there fault. I also agree with a commenter above; f the microdissection of any person’s looks. F it to fing hell. 🙂
Meant to say are usually overweight…
And Desai’s winning thongs too. Thin and curvy, what a combo
So if everyone is all “OMFG HOTT!!!”, you can’t say “I don’t think she is attractive”?
She is but she’s curvier and has more meat in all the right places vs waif (ribs showing) thin.
there’s a difference, though, between being hated on and being ridiculed. we all know which gets what. lets be honest about that.
Why do I think that natural breasts that size are unlikely on a woman 5’8″ 110 lbs? More likely miniature goodyear blimps.
Neal, would you like it if people dissected your looks in that way?
Sahej – I agree: we shouldn’t be rude. But, I’m sorry, her looks are clearly manipulated as womens’ looks (and men) have been for generations in order to fit into a societal idea of beauty. Removing ribs, drinking arsenic to make your skin pale, binding your breasts, foot binding, corsets, all lead right into breast implants, and uber-thinness. She may be naturally thin, but her hair and makeup calculate a particular image. It is calculated. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I love fashion and I love the idea of beauty. I don’t think it’s wrong to manipulate your body into an image in all cases. But, it is a manipulation and a calculation, particularly in the fashion/beauty pageant industry and you can be judged on that as much as a designer on his/her clothing designs.
Thanks for the respectful response 🙂
the difference between being hated on and ridiculed is what?
MD, I don’t think Miss Great Britain, who seems to work in the fireworks industry, should bear the brunt (indirectly as it may be) for what I agree is pretty much a misery, jealousy, and delusion-creating industry (fashion media).
The respectful response to you is my pleasure
i am aghast that no one has commented on her eyes. STUNNING.
oh wait, i know why. we’re desi. gorgeous eyes are ubiquitous =)
If I was in the business of promoting my looks? Uhm, that’s kind of the point…
And in any case, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to find her attractive, or that anyone else shouldn’t think she’s gorgeous. I’m not “dissecting” her either. I’m saying I personally don’t think she’s all that. The whole point of this post is that “this woman is attractive”. If you disagree with any other post on this site it’s pretty much expected that you’ll talk about it (as long as you’re respectful, etc…). Why should this be different?
I’m sorry her body is the reason why she won a crown, her body is her asset and is being flaunted. What do you suppose we talk about? Her mind? I respect your need to defend her but no one here is being rude to her or calling her names or being disrespectful. You seem to imply that the concerns that come up when a super skinny woman is lauded as a role mode are unimportant and somehow stem for some kind of hate from fat people! I think that is uncalled for.
I don’t think the concern is for her health, the concern is that she is perpetuating a trend that values thinness over healthy weight or overweight.
To the point of her body and judging her, there are ways to appreciate her form that don’t hurt feelings; its been done for centuries. Look into it?
Her chest doesn’t look disportionate to her body. They are certainly not gross stripper boobs. Anyway I was refering to her lovely hips/figure; quite frankly I hadnt even clicked on the picture to the other snaps till now. Micro-disection of her looks??? I have a feeling Ms. Desai wouldn’t mind me or anyone else commenting on how lovely she is. She is in a beauty pageant after all. If I didn’t think she was all that, I would keep my mouth shut.
You know, she is a grown woman. And she knows what she is doing, I presume. So, to not comment honestly is a bit like infantilizing her, isn’t it? As if she is so fragile she can’t handle a little criticism. Am I way off base here?
sahej — the difference, put very simply, is that one is coveted and the other is exiled.
JOAT:
Why is Brazil the hegemon in the supermodeling industry?
MD,
I think the dissection of her body is off base, not productive to the “cause” of stopping the (cruel?) practice of judgment in the media and fashion regarding body size for women. Unless she were to somehow say “I’m the bomb because I’m skinny and anyone who is fatter than me is a stupid dummy head”.
Anyway.
And I’m sure you will give us a reason to believe there is something wrong in doing that?
They look proportionate. She is beautiful, nothing about her body is misproportioned. A little push up bra goes a long long way. Todays bras don’t even require breasts because they come with a size or two of breasts already in em.
JOAT,
see above for the reason I think thats wrong
Eyes. I don’t need to look at eyes. I have eyes.
Espressa,
You think a skinny woman who may or may not herself want to be of a greater weight, is neccessarily happy with all the bullshit adulation she may get? I just think its not the right “target”
The water? They sure make em hot there! Brazil has some of the most aggressive recruiting houses in the world. Gisele, one of the famous one however is born there to Russian/German parents 🙂
“don’t hate be because i’m beautiful” syndrome?
Sahej: judgements are cruel and I respect what you are trying to do. But, somehow, it bothers me when women are treated as fragile creatures, incapable of taking hard knocks, victims to the end. I know that’s not what you are trying to do – you just think discussing her figure doesn’t help society have a more broad idea of beauty. I agree with that. But, being ‘overprotective’ is equally damaging to women I think. The gentle tone of most of the comments here is simply not beyond what I believe is reasonable discussion. If a woman can’t even handle a little discussion about her when she is a public figure, then what kind of woman is she? A child who must be protected? I’m not talking about making fun of her in person, or treating her cruelly, but publicly discussing her role as a beauty queen who was explicitly judged on her looks and form. And she knew this. She joined a contest, of her own free will, which purposely made her an object of discussion. It seems almost Victorian to sheild her from any criticism, however mild. As if a woman is so weak she needs her betters (presumably men) to run to her rescue…..
espressa,
i don’t think its quite like that. but people can be quite cruel to each other, and even people who seem to “have it all” may on closer look be hurting. consider as evidence, Maryiln Monroe.
MD,
I don’t think thats what I am doing at all. I would love it if someone were to “defend” me as strongly as I would “defend” someone else. Be they a man or woman.
I think you’re being a bit misreprenting of me. I don’t think some of the comments were kind. Maybe respectfully submitted, but not kind. Just my opinion
Neal:
That was not the author’s intent (to speak of myself in the 3rd person). I wished to laud her for her devotion to her mother, and raise her as a role model because of her complex career ambitions that went beyond simply the partying and having fun so common amongst today’s youth.
Sahej – if this was a male bodybuilder, would it be unfair to discuss his physical attributes, as long as it was done in a polite fashion? We do this with Abhi and Vinod’s forms all the time, at the secret bunker. The monkey have some very choice words to say on the subject.
Ennis,
Hahaaaaaaaaaa. Really cheap dude. Yes, I think male bodybuilders are strong and tough and don’t need to be defended. But poor little women need big strong men to defend them.
Anyway. see ya.
Intersting. The Venezualans must be jealous. I asked b/c 4/6 supermodels from the VSFS are from there. Plus they’re kinda brown, which is good news for the up and coming desi talent. I recall reading that back in the ’70’s you had to be blonde/blue-eyed to be on the cover of vogue (teigs, brinkley, etc.) and that raquel welch was consided too exotic back in the day and that anna wintour won’t have j.lo on the cover of vogue for similar reasons. the times they are a changin.
So fatties don’t get teased at school? I was a skinny kid and in my school the fat kids had it really bad.
Even in the general community anorexic people get sympathetic looks from the public whereas fat people get the irritated ‘you-gluttonous-lazy-fat-ass’ looks. A skinny stick woman in distress will get far more assistance than a fat woman in the same scenario. How is that for community double standards?
If we’re being literal, then no, she hasn’t told anyone here anything. But she won. That means she’s the best. That means that her ultra-thin body is ideal.
Who is doing this? Plenty of people have declared her to be stunning, hot, etc. I hate when the automatic comeback to female-on-female crit is “you’re just jealous” or some such bullshit. This is similar. We’re having a valid and necessary discussion on health, not bitchily insulting her to assuage our wounded egos.
As a picky vegetarian who was also a year younger than all of my classmates, I was one of those girls. While it’s fantastic to learn that you would’ve had my six, eighteen years after I desperately needed someone to, I don’t think that’s what is happening here. We’re not making nasty comments and we are all responsible for how we feel, about everything. What we are not responsible for is unnatural, unrealistic and unreasonable expectations regarding how we should be…tits on a stick is NOT what a woman looks like and it isn’t normal to be a bobble-headed spine with breasts two inches below one’s chin. My last sentence is not meant to describe the first Miss Great Britain who is desi. I’m proud of this woman. I am also proud that I’m part of a website where a post about her could veer from boys panting “HAWT” to other boys provoking debate about beauty, health and double standards.
I think part of your sentence might be missing– “Tell the people who think being healthy weight or overweight (is?) ____ to F off”. If what you’re saying is, “tell the people who think being healthy or overweight is good to fuck off” than that is one vicious statement.
So hmm. The solution to that is to balance things out by making sure both fat and skinny people are miserable?
the blank is for “wrong”. As in tell the people who think being healthy or overweight is “wrong” to f off.
I’m not sure why I’m getting so much flack here. I’d prefer to just let it go. I’m not up for getting blasted.
would it help i have a little bit of allahabad and ranchi in me as well. i’m like a cabbage shruti – loads of layers,… and pack about as much excitement. now, let’s talk about you. are you as amazing as you sound? who cares for skinny gujus anyway. we all know biharis pack heat. sigh right back
heh
Though I disagree with everything he says, Sahej strikes me as a perfectly respectable, polite, conscientious, well-intentioned, and thoughtful young man; and a perfect representative of the New Man reconstructed by classic feminism. Is Camille Paglia right? Is feminism emasculating? Do only right wing misogynists like me hook up?
IÂ’m surprised he has no defenders on this famous left wing blog.
Don’t worry bro. Just shake it off. I ruined my game on this thread too. (Unless there is a paleontologist chick out there that is digging me more now).
Sahej – perhaps the problem is blog commenters love to comment (and Manju is being, well, Manju 🙂 ) and as such things go people will dissect what they like and don’t like about any topic at hand. Take any thread after the first three comments and there is sure to be someone who pipes up to say the opposite. Then the double post and the mispelled post and the apologies for double/mispelling and the internal flame war between two commenters, etc, etc. I think people who love to argue love blog comments sections. I enjoyed your comments, anyway. Makes for an interesting discussion!
You still don’t make sense.
Perhaps because you practically requested it? Your tone, your volume of comments, your obvious and inexplicable passion for defending a random skinny beauty queen from…well, no one really. No one has ridiculed her.
If you’d prefer to just let it go, why stoke such flames?
interestingly .. i knew a pakistani fellow in school who would tell me about cow udders and offal being chopped up and sauteed with onions on a streetside tava and served as kebabs or as wraps. i think he was from karachi… whatever, this is unrelated but he was an oaf who generally needed a kick on his rear as public service. thought i’d share my random thoughts. enjoy your tits on a stick or in a paratha.
Manju,
Thats pretty funny. I have any number of responses, but I’ll go with that.
For those of us who are non-veg, you’ve just described a breast meat kebab.
Abhi,
Yeah….I agree. Manju is right, I never had nor will have game. Maybe Paglia is right. Its all right.
Communis,
bite me.
My fav dessert, although I thought GulaabJ was too money for ya’ll to handle =)
No, the solution is to emphasize proper nutrition, maintain a body size that you are genetically predisposed to, keep in shape by healthy levels of exercise and have a decent modicum of self confidence so you don’t run away crying when that stupid auntie asks you why you aren’t married yet.